Last Call
by Imoshen86
Summary: Malik works at the airport, making sure people border their plane on time, checking their tickets. It's an easy job, it's a good job, it's a quiet job if it weren't for this one passenger who always comes too late, the one passenger who drives Malik out of his mind. The passenger Malik always has to make the last call for.


"Attention please, this is the last call for all passengers traveling on flight KL1230, Phoenix to El Paso. Please turn up to the boarding gate."

Malik turned the microphone off again and sighed, his chin propped on his palm as he looked down the empty hall. It was way after midnight and it was the last flight for today which mean his shift would be over soon – yes, his shift would be over soon if it weren't for this one passenger who still hasn't arrived at the gate yet and Malik grew more irritated withhin the second. He already knew this passenger and it was _always_ the same with them, every fucking day. Whatever they were working, their job must pay good if they could afford to fluctuate between El Paso and Phoenix every single day of the week. They took the third flight in the morning around 9 am and they always took the last one after midnight – Malik actually wondered when they slept. On the plane maybe? Oh, what was he even caring! All he knew was that this passenger was always the cause for the plane to almost start with a short delay and today, it seemed as if Malik would finally snap at them if they wouldn't show up within the next few seconds.

Malik groaned and turned the microphone back on again. "This is your last call for flight KL1230, Phoenix to El Paso. Mr. I-"

Malik stopped when he heard feet running over carpet, somebody was panting heavily and yes, sure thing he saw his passenger running through the empty halls of Sky Harbor Airport.

"Wait! I'm here!", they called and waved their hand.

Malik smirked a little and turned his microphone back on again, looking directly at the passenger and he knew they could see Malik staring at them. "Mr. Ibn-La'Ahad this is your last call for flight KL1230."

"I'm here!", Malik heard him calling, waving widely at him as he run up to him.

Malik was still smirking and slightly bent over his microphone, "Mr. Ibn-La'Ahad, this is your last call-"

"I'm here god dammit!", he growled once he reached Malik's desk.

"for flight KL1230", Malik finished unimpressed and turned his microphone off again.

Mr. Ibn-La'Ahad stared at him. "I am here", he said again, out of breath and with red cheeks, a thin sheet of sweat covering his brow and while he said that, he took his suit jacket off, hanging it loosely over his arm.

Malik bit back a comment and held up his empty palm, "Your ticket please."

He stared at Malik. "You know it's me. You've been working the late shift ever since I've started taking the last flight six months ago."

"Yes sir", Malik nodded and he sighed, making his way towards the gangway. "Ticket please", and he stopped with a groan and a roll of his eyes, turning around the Malik and crossing the distance between them, reaching into the small pocket of his jacket and put the ticket on the small desk in front of Malik, glaring at him.

"Thank you sir", Malik smiled one of his brightest smiles at him and watched with mild satisfaction how he made his way to the plane while cursing underneath his breath.

xxx

He had his ticket in his hand already when he was running up to Malik's desk this time and of course, Malik had already called him twice and he threw it down on his desk while panting heavily, cheeks red. "There, ticket", he said and took a big gulp of air.

Malik cocked one eyebrow and looked the ticket once over – it wasn't as if he _really _looked anymore. Of course he knew who he was and of course he knew he had a ticket from Phoenix to El Paso. Still, Malik couldn't believe the man's nerves for coming in later every god damn time – there really no exception at all. Not once had he been on time, _not once_ and if there was one thing Malik hated the most, it was people who were late. Not only did they make the plane take off with a delay, not only did they make other passengers who were already on their seats waiting but they also made sure for Malik to work longer and that pissed him off the most. So... he thought it was maybe finally time to teach this very special passenger some manners. "Your passport or driver's license then please."

"What?" Oh yes, Malik could see he didn't expect that.

"Passport or driver's license please", Malik repeated as calm as ever.

"I already showed my license at security-"

"Yes and I need to see it again sir. We reserve the right to control them once our passengers enter the plane", Malik smiled and pushed the ticket back at Mr. Ibn-La'Always-fucking-late.

"But I've never been asked to show my-"

"So it is a first time. Driver's license, please. Sir." Malik felt this sick, sick satisfaction when he saw that he looked at him as if he'd just turned into a car and yes, he should have started doing this earlier – maybe he wouldn't be late so often anymore.

Malik watched him reaching into his pocket, taking out his wallet and holding it up for Malik to see. "And your name is?", he asked Malik and Malik made sure that Mr. Doesn't-even-know-his-fucking-name-after-six-month s-Ahad saw exactly he didn't glance at his driver's license once.

"My name is Malik Al-Sayf sir", he said with a bored smile and tabbed the little name tag pinned to his vest.

He narrowed his eyes at Malik, his eyes following Malik's finger before he looked back up again. "If I ask your supervisor if this is a standard procedure and he tells me no-"

"It is sir", Malik cut him off and pushed his plane ticket back into him not too gently, "and your plane is about to take off so if you could please..."

He looked at Malik, then at the door to the gangway, then back up at Malik again. "This isn't over yet."

"I'm sure it isn't sire", Malik grinned because if he thought he could keep coming too late and this was all Malik could do, then well... then he really was the idiot Malik thought he was.

xxx

"My driver's license and my ticket", Altair told him.

Malik had started calling him Altair in his head ever since last Friday and now that he had gotten two days to relax at home where he not to have to see his face had made him a little more... relaxed.

But when Altair had been late -_again_- all of his patience had melted like ice cream on a hot summer day. "Thank you sir, how thoughtful", Malik smiled, didn't look at the ticket or Altair's license and handed them back over to him and he could tell it drove Altair mad, his head probably wasn't only red because he'd run all the way from security up here. "I'm also having good news sir, this flight is overbooked and we managed to upgrade your seat."

Altair frowned at him. "This is a two hours flight in a plan as big as a tin of sardines. You don't even have a first class", Altair told him with a confused look.

"Oh but sir we do have a first class-"

"Yeah. A first class", Altair said and made little quotation marks in the air.

"Well if you don't want your upgrade..." Malik turned towards his little computer, hand hovering above the mouse.

"I didn't say that", Altair told him. "I accept the upgrade."

Malik snorted. Oh, so he _accepted _the upgrade, huh? Malik wondered if he should tell Altair that his upgrade meant he'd be sitting next to a mother with her three year old toddler who'd been pretty cranky when she and him had waited for the flight starting to border. Well, Altair would have known there was a small, crying child on the flight – if he'd just been on time.

"I hope you have a nice trip then sir", Malik nodded and flashed him one of his most charming smiles while Altair eyed him wary.

"Okay, why are you doing this?", he asked carefully while he took his ticket and license out of Malik's hand.

"A little apologize for Friday sir", Malik told him and run his fingers through his hair, tilting his head to one side. "I have been _clearly _wrong", he added just to make it a little bit more dramatic.

"Yes", Altair nodded and Malik could have punched him right then there. He was so full of it! Was his head really that big that it never occurred to him he should maybe try to catch his flight on time – for once? It wasn't like as if his flight would start at different times, no! It was _always _the damn same time, so maybe he'd be on time for once? Was it really so much to ask? Was this man really that arrogant?

"But you remembered your good manners and that's all that counts", Altair added and Malik was trembling with rage but his smile was glued to his face.

"Yes sir it seems I did."

xxx

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Altair slammed his ticket angrily in front of Malik.

"I have no idea what you're talking about sir", he told him innocently.

"I have let you know that this sweet little boy you put me next to cried the whole flight."

"Oh sir but it's only a two hour flight you said so yourself so I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

Altair groaned and rubbed his face. "Alright – what do I have expect today? Did you tell the flight attendants to ignore me when they serve the snack?"

"Well that wouldn't be much fun...", Malik muttered and looked aside.

"Aha! So you're doing this on purpose", Altair poked his finger at Malik's chest and Malik looked down his hand, his eyes traveling up his arm until they met Altair's face. To be honest, he looked a little like a crazy person and Malik wondered for the first time if Altair was all sane.

"I have no idea what you're talking about sir but I'm sure if you had been on time we would have had enough time for you to explain it to me."

"I can explain it to you right now-" And Malik groaned, rolling his eyes up to look at the ceiling and sighing heavily. Was he really such an idiot for not getting the pun?

"I'd _love _to hear that sir but you were late, _again_, and the pilot wants to start so..."

"Yes, so I need to border the plane but who did you place next to me this time? Crazy old lady or fat guy maybe?"

"I didn't do anything sir", Malik told him and really, he didn't. He'd just asked one of the stewardess what Altair liked to drink on his flight and she'd told him he always orders a caffeine-free coffee so Malik had simply suggested to maybe accidentally switch it with caffeinated coffee... maybe. "And I hope you're flight will be pleasant tonight."

Altair kept staring at Malik, his finger still pressed tightly against Malik's chest. "I have no idea why you're doing this to me", Altair started and Malik really was about to punch him right then and there if Altair wouldn't have flattened out his palm against his chest right where his heart was and it irritated Malik to no end, "but I'm watching you", Altair warned and Malik would have almost laughed at how ridiculous it made him sound.

"Understood sir", he nodded. "You look tired sir, I suggest you ask for an extra pillow so you can sleep until you arrive in El Paso."

Only now did Altair take a step back, his eyes roaming over Malik's body. "No thank you", he snorted and Malik started to wonder if he'd fucked up Altair's head so everything he would suggest now Altair would think was a trap so he would do the opposite of it.

"Have a good night then sir."

xxx

Altair came with a cup of coffee in his hand the next night and Malik saw the dark circles underneath his eyes, as if he hadn't slept very well the night before.

"Had a long day at work?", Malik pondered innocently and nodded at the cup when Altair showed him his ticket and his license – he always showed his license too now.

Altair just groaned at him, not saying a word and oh shit, he real fucking tired. For a moment Malik felt pity for him but it vanished quickly. He got home an hour later ever since Altair started coming and all because his every day late arriving caused Malik to miss his bus.

Malik handed him his ticket and license back over and Altair took it wordlessly, turning around to head towards the gangway. "What, nothing to say today?", Malik called after him. This he wasn't used to. Altair always had some sort of sassy reply for him and to be honest, Malik had grown fond of their bickering at each other the last week.

Altair waved at Malik without turning around. "Have a nice flight and make sure to pick Shut-the-fuck-up-Airlines again", he called and yupp, Altair was pissed that was for sure.

"Maybe you should take my advice this time then and try to get some sleep on your flight sir", Malik said and at this Altair stopped and he slowly turned around, walking back up to Malik's desk.

"You know I'm a person who really needs his sleep and there is only one reason why I would give up a night full of it and caffeinated coffee is not one of them", he told Malik in a dark voice. So he had figured it out, hadn't he?

"So what's the reason then?", Malik asked as politely as possible, not jumping on Altair's conclusion.

Altair snorted. "Yeah no... I'm not going to tell you."

Malik rolled his eyes – it wasn't like as if he would really want to know. Tch, hell no. Altair surely wasn't somebody he cared about. For all he cared Altair could spend every night wide awake if he kept on coming late.

"Then have a good flight sir", Malik smirked and Altair kept on glaring at him for a few more seconds before he turned back, heading for the plane. Malik thought he must be really tired when he didn't even want to argue and okay, maybe Altair deserved one last chance.

"If I might suggest to be on time tomorrow sir?", he called after Altair and again, Altair stopped within his movements. He just stood there, didn't look over his should nor did he turn around but then he kept on walking and Malik wondered if he should take bets from his co-workers if Altair would arrive on time tomorrow or if he wouldn't.

xxx

He was on time that day and Malik had to admit he was really surprised about that – even though he'd lost fifty bucks... He'd bet Altair would be late again. But besides his lost bet, wow, this was really something new and he stared at Altair with wide eyes as he was actually the first passenger to show up, ninety minutes before take off even.

"Mr. Ibn-La'Ahad", Malik purred as Altair walked up to him, "what a pleasure to see you."

Altair only glared at him, loosening his tie and taking off his jacket once more. He pointed to the ground with one single finger. "I'm on time", was all he said before he took a seat in the waiting area, the closest one to Malik's desk.

Malik was working passanger after passanger, some of them asking him questions about the flight or if he knew if there'd be turbulences (how the fuck would he know?), at one point he had to make a call through his microphone for a wife who had lost her husband but other than that, his shift was real boring and it didn't help at all for Altair to watch him _all _the time.

It was exactly an hour before take off when Malik turned his microphone back one again.

"Attention please, flight KL1230, Phoenix to El Paso will start boarding now." He said the rest of his text and waited for the passengers to arrive at his desk, showing him their tickets and he waved them in one after the other until he finally reached the row Altair was sitting at and the man was the first one to show up at his desk, handing him his ticket over. "I'm on time", he said again and Malik wondered if Altair was expecting a cookie now.

"I see that sir and in the name of the crew and all the other passengers I say thank you."

"So do I get my caffeine-free coffee today?", Altair asked.

"But yes of course sir, like you _always _do", Malik smiled bitterly sweet at him and Altair growled again.

"And I didn't see any small, crying children waiting with me so I assume you won't pull one out of your pocket to place it next to me?"

"Well sir that's impossible to do so no", Malik grinned.

"And my driver's license enough so you don't want me to show you my passport which I don't have with me by the way?"

"No sir", Malik grinned, "everything is good. Have a nice trip and I see you tomorrow evening."

Altair nodded slowly, still wary. "Alright then... I guess have a good night", he told Malik and he in return nodded and bowed his head a little in a manner of showing respect.

"And you too sir."

xxx

Malik didn't bet this time but he was still surprised when Altair was the first one to show up, again. "Well this is a pleasant sight, good evening sir", he greeted Altair with an honest smile this time. For once.

"I'm here", Altair simply said and he kept standing in front of Malik's desk this time.

"Yes I can see that." Captain Obvious, he added in his thoughts. "But you don't expect me to give you some sort of trophy to make it to your flight on time?", he asked and fuck! Did he really say that out loud? Oh shit shitshitshit!

But Altair simply chuckled softly. "Yeah I think I deserved that one", he finally admitted and Malik rose his brows in surprise. Did he... did he understand him right just now? Did the man who kept coming late for his flight the last six months and who'd been a jerk about it just told him he deserved his little pun? Really now? Well, he'd have never thought for this day to come.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-" Yeah, he meant what he'd said but he didn't mean to say it out loud so his apology was somewhat honest.

"No it's alright", Altair waved him off. "I know I've threatened you with it once but I'm not the guy to run up to some supervisor to complain about staff..."

"Well it was hardly a threat because my supervisor would have been on my side you know?", Malik told him with a shrug.

Altair didn't move and he didn't say anything and after a while Malik grew really restless underneath his gaze, there weren't even other passengers yet who he could talk to so after a few minutes had past and Altair was still standing at his desk, staring at him he snapped. "Okay, what is it you want?"

Altair blinked as if he'd been miles away. "Oh, yeah...", he stuttered and Malik frowned at him – he wouldn't have thought for Altair to be somebody who stutters. It was almost cute.

"I guess..." Altair rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breath in, "I guess I've want to apologize. For always coming in late but- I'm working on this project for my company and we're already running late so I'm staying in late, taking the last flight back home and... yeah", he said and looked a little lost, a little helpless at Malik.

Oh damn it, now he felt like an idiot. "So your boss sits in your neck huh?", Malik asked him instead and Altair nodded.

"Yes and I need this job so I can't afford risking to get fired."

"How did you manage to go earlier today and yesterday then?"

Altair smirked a little. "Told my boss the airline threatened to not let me flight with them anymore and yours is actually the only one who offers flights this late so... my boss accepted I had to go and here I am."

Malik grinned a little.

"Yeah I can see that."

xxx

The miracle continued. Altair was again on time and again, he was one of the first passenger to arrive but this time, Malik actually looked a little forward to see Altair – for the first time ever since he'd started flying with them.

"Good evening sir", Malik greeted him, flashing him a fresh smile.

"You know it sounds as if I'm really old whenever you call me sir", Altair chuckled and leaned against Malik's desk once he'd walked up to him.

"Well I'm sorry but company policy sir", he said with another smile.

"And what about yesterday, telling me if I wanted a fucking trophy? Company policy as well?"

Malik chuckled, "No sir, not really."

"Okay, really now", Altair said and leaned over Malik's desk, holding himself up on his elbows, "my name's Altair."

"I know, you know it's on your ticket and all...", Malik made a small rotating gesture with his hand, blushing a little... blushing!

"Aright so we really don't have to introduce ourselves anymore. If that's the case maybe I can skip everything else just as well..."

Malik blinked at him, confused. "Huh?" Okay, that was a damn intelligent reply and Malik could have slapped himself for that.

"Maybe we could go and get some coffee some time", Altair said straight forward and oh... oh! Malik hadn't expected to get asked on a date. He quickly got his balance back though.

"And when would that be? I can't hop on to the plane and fly to El Paso to have some coffee."

"Yeah no, I really don't call it coffee but brown water with coffee flavor...", Altair said with a roll of his eyes.

"No wonder, it's caffeine-free...", Malik said underneath his breath but Altair had heard anyway and he laughed at him.

"But will you?", he asked Malik.

"Will I wait?"

"Have some coffee with me some time?"

Malik sighed heavily. Damn he'd really like to say yes but... "I'm sorry I can't", he shook his head and for once, he really was sorry.

"Let me guess... company policy?"

Malik nodded. "Yes, honestly. And just like you, I can't afford getting fired..."

"I see", Altair said with a slow nod and he looked a little crushed. "I guess I will go over there and wait for the boarding to start then", he muttered, sounding only a little miserable but only because he managed to hide it very well.

Malik pressed his lips to a thin white line. "I will call you sir."

xxx

Altair wasn't on time the next day.

All the passengers were already sitting in the plane when Malik switched the microphone on to make the last call. "Attention please, this is the last call for all passengers traveling on flight KL1230, Phoenix to El Paso. Please turn up to the boarding gate."

He waited a few seconds and listened but all he could hear was the cleaning crew starting working. Again he turned on the microphone. "Attention please, this is the last call for all passengers traveling on flight KL1230, Phoenix to El Paso. Please turn up to the boarding gate. Mr. Ibn-La'Ahad, please come to gate B3."

But nobody showed up and after Malik waited for another five minutes he called the crew and told them to shut the door and to get ready for take off.

He got ready to get home, turning off his computer, putting his name tag into the small drawer underneath his desk and locking it with his key before he made his way down the hall, heading towards the exit.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't make this flight", and Malik looked up as he heard the voice, looking straight into Altair's face.

"What the...?", he asked him and Altair pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning against.

"My company orders my tickets one week in advance so I wasn't able to get my name off the list in time, I'm sorry everybody else had to wait again because of me and you...", he admitted almost shy, hands shoved in his pockets and Malik thought he looked a lot smaller like this.

He still didn't understand though. "Okay and why did you miss this flight on purpose?", he pondered.

"Am I still a costumer?", Altair asked him straight forward and Malik swallowed.

"Well I... guess... not?"

"So will you let me make up for it for you staying late because of a passenger who never came? I know a great place that serves the best coffee in town..."

"I don't think there exists a place that manages to serve caffeine-free coffee...", Malik shook his head but smiled a little.

"You're right about that but I don't drink their caffeine-free coffee."

"Oh?" Malik rose his eyebrows at him.

"Yeah but it doesn't matter."

"Why not?", Malik asked him and Altair narrowed his eyes, smiling at him.

"Because there is only one reason why I would give up a night full of sleep and caffeinated coffee is not one of them", he said with a smirk and now Malik got interested.

"Are you going to tell me that reason now?"

Altair winked at him. "I'd rather have you find out about it."

Malik cocked his head to one side, a small grin pulling at the corners of his lips.

"Alright then... I think I really do want to find out."


End file.
